Lightship WAL 605 Overfalls by Jond - based on Bluejacket Shipcrafters kit Nantucket - 1:98

[Jond]

 

Building log for the Lightship Overfalls at 1:96 by Jond.   

 

LSO 01. the beginning

This new project has taken some time to figure out.   Last year I completed an overview of the history of Boothbay shipyards 1800 up through 1920.   I built a three masted schooner to be a center piece of that presentation.  I then built two brigs to fill in more of the past.    This year I have begun to dig into the next era of Boothbay shipbuilding beginning roughly 1920.   I also want to move into the world of steel ship building.  Wow there is so much to learn and each week I find even more avenues to follow.   To reel in the expanding study and to focus on what will be part 1 of what now will be at least three builds, I chose a fun topic.  Lightships of Boothbay.  There were four of them.

 

First up I would like to list the 4 Lightships built here in East Boothbay at the Rice Brother’s yard.  Parallel to this log is my research of the evolution from wood schooners into steel ship fabrication that started here about 1915.   I chose a lightship as a model because I just learned that three Lightships of the 4 built right here are now in prominent US Museums. One is in Delaware, so a fall road trip is already planned.  The four lightships built here include:

 

• 1.    LV 99. Poe, a reef off Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the work was started in 1916, but alas, the hull was burned in a yard fire 1917. The Lightship was rebuilt and launched in 1921. She was sold out of service in 1955.
• 2.    LV 118 Cornfield, a reef in Conn, was built in 1938.  She served 20 years there and then as LV Cross Rip near Martha’s Vineyard then LV Boston through 1972.  Since then, she has been docked in a museum in Lewes, Delaware.
• 3.    WAL 604 Columbia, Mouth of the river in Oregon, was built in 1950. Now she is docked in the museum at Astoria, Oregon
• 4.    WAL 605 Overfalls, the entrance of Delaware River built 1950.After decommissioning, she was sent to Blunt Reef in California and then became the west Coast Relief.  She is now at the museum in  Oakland, California
•  

 

Secondly,  let’s start at the beginning of Rice brothers and their Lightships.

Rice Brothers started in East Boothbay in the 1892.  Their growth was substantial and lasting. After they finished in 1955 several owners worked in the yard and then since 1985, it has become the major establishment named Washburn and Doughty.  For my immediate study, the steel hull 98-foot Lightship built in 1916 has few documents on its detail.  I will continue to research to see if I can create better images of it, but not a built.  Several steel draggers were built then and steel aluminum work as well as an impressive wooden fleet emerged. I have just digitized over 400 images of their history.  

 

I love the stories and history of the second lightship, built in 1938 at 114 feet. Its history led through Connecticut then Martha's Vineyard and Boston eventually to its home starting in 1973 at Lewes, Delaware.  To confuse some of us, she was renamed Overfalls by the park in memory of the light ship near there. Rice Brothers also built the real Overfalls in 1950, but she went to the west coast after closing the Delaware station.   I really wanted to build smaller 1938 one but again lacking in drawings I hesitated.    

 

Number 3 and 4: we have the best possibility to reasonably create a model based on documents.  Two vessels-built weeks apart and launched in 1950, were the lightships Columbia and Overfalls.  They were virtually identical at launch.  The Columbia naturally went to Oregon, and she rests today in Astoria.   Finally, we have my target.   Wal 605 was launched as the Overfalls.  After decommissioning in Delaware, she went to be Blunt Reef in California.  She then became the west coast Relief vessel.  She now rests in Oakland California with the name Relief painted on her sides, however I will name her Overfalls as that is how she left the East Boothbay yard.  Sorry for confusion, but I didn’t do it.

 

I believe for me it is a good transition vessel. I know so little about modeling anything like this.    That means more books and more fun.   As to the modeling it takes me into work where I also have little experience. The on deck fitting out of a vessel of this era makes tying knots and silk span sails a useless skill set.   

The build: what to do and how.

 

This build is based on taking the Bluejacket Kit for the lightship Nantucket and changing it to another Lightship 20 feet shorter with a different on deck configuration that was built 14 years later.  Unfortunately, as I have already progressed a little, I have found much of the kit material will simply go unused.  Never mind there is so much new stuff and am grateful for what is included or available, and I will make up a list of what more I need due to the different configuration.  Example I need another exterior doors, a different motorboat, and a navy anchor. 

 

My first need is plans.  The lightship kit Nantucket comes with great plans. Unfortunately, it was 148 feet and over 1000 tons. I have read that by 1950 the service had settled on a standard design of 128 feet and somewhere around 600 tons.   The lightship Nantucket was apparently a beast due to its location.  I found a small pdf set of plans online of Relief and now thanks to Don at Taubman plans I have a complete set even with lines for the LV612 San Francisco.  That was another 128 ft standard coast guard design lightship that was built in Maryland in 1950. Both sets are the same, so they should be a match for here the same year.  

 

Starting out the hull using the Kit

 

After a very brief consideration of scratch building a hull with at that time no proper line drawings, I called Nic at Bluejacket.  They have a solid hull kit for the Nantucket lightship. That vessel is bigger but was built in the same era with many of the same things.  We talked briefly about options in cutting down the hull to fit a smaller build, 1938 Cornfield.  I had been trying to get back to this ship at only 114 feet and the kit would not work.   I decided then the 1950 hulls at 128 feet is the way to go.  I have a normal cut off saw and can take 20 feet [ 2.25 inch in scale] out of the middle of the hull and then make it work…..we’ll see!  Nic said after listening to my plan that if I screwed up he could sell me a new hull.....😄

 

I think this kit will also help me get into more modern ships much more easily too.   Many of those little pieces will be new to me and I surely need more experience at the 1:98 scale as well.  My fingers don’t like it small but that is the way it goes.

 

Hull early Progress:

First up I have the outline and template plan from the kit. It is right on …18.5 inches = 148 feet.    There are two stations, 5-6 that are the same, so I need to find the middle of them and cut back 10 feet in scale each way.

• 01   here we have the kit template plan. I have identified where to remove the 20 feet of hull amidship.  I will do the lines separately before making the templates.  

 

• 02   here I have cut out profile section of the 128-foot standard design I found on the internet.  The highlight confirms that the draft difference is about a foot and the bow is not quite so high.  It is not perfect but a way to get there.

 

• 03   I glued to hull to a plywood strip and made the deck level.  This will sit in the cut off saw. 

 

• 04   Here we are back from the garage shop with the center cut.

 

• 05   the center is now apart.

 

• 06.   the hull is dry fit.

 

• 07.   I chose to go get the Wes Systems epoxy to make this joint.   I will need to sand 1/8 inch off the sides, so it needs to be a strong joint.

 

next up fix the hull profile.....all for now

 

[MrBlueJacket]

Good start, Jon!

 

Nic

[Roger Pellett]

Jon,

 

Interesting project!  I don’t remember too much about it but a while ago an article about the development of lightships was published in the Nautical Research Journal.  It did include some drawings.  You should be able to find it on the Guild’s online index of Journal articles.

 

Roger

[Landlubber Mike]

Very cool project Jon!  I took a morning to visit the Lightship Overfalls in Lewes Delaware on a beach trip with my family a few years ago.  Those ships were very interesting with some neat history.  I always thought they would make for a fun build.  Good luck with the build!

[Jond]

thanks Nic 

 

I am making my list for some more parts. I need to get a better idea and inventory from the photos I have, so I then identify what I have and what I might need more 

[Jond]

Thanks Roger

 

i went through the Journal indexes and found the fun article by Chapelle...models that should be built.  He mentioned lightships, so that mandate was good.   There are several references in index 41-50 and I will definitely check them out and share what I find.  I am also into some new books, part of the fun, and I will summarize those findings as well.  Thanks for looking in.  

[Jond]

Thanks Mike

I look forward to visiting Lewes.  It is only a couple hours from my daughter's home.

 

 

 

 

[Landlubber Mike]

It was a nice tour.  Interesting seeing and learning about lightships.  It was there that I learned about the terrible accident of LV117 with the RMS Olympic, sister ship of the Titanic.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_lightship_LV-117

 

 

[Jond]

Mike     

thanks for the link.  yes quite a story of the demise of the 1934 lightship Nantucket.  In other links one can find that the search for the replacement found the large 1000 ton and 148 feet long vessel that served until the end of the lightship station at Nantucket.

 

I include for your and others enjoyment a nice article that summarises the lightships of Boothbay, the them of my build.  That means the Lightships of the Rice brothers to be specific.   https://maineboats.com/print/issue-165/rice-brothers’

 

cheers 

[Jond]

 02 rough shaping the hull

First up I have the outline and template plan from the Nantucket kit.  The beam on Nantucket is 32 feet and the Overfalls is 30 feet.  That difference means in theory I would remove 1/8 inch from both sides. I wish it were that easy.  

 

• 1   Here we see all the Nantucket kit hull templates cut out with a nominal 1/8 + left on the inside marked in red.

 

• 2   In this view we see the Nantucket templates that go close to where the Overalls’ bulkheads are shown.  I am not sure if tumble home is the right term here, but the Nantucket hull needs flattening to some extent to achieve the straighter sides of the smaller vessel. The conclusion is that I will not be using these templates. 

Second up, let’s look at some photos and see basic differences in broadside profiles.

• 3.  here we see a model of Nantucket.  Swooping bullworks at both ends, a very high bow etc.

 

• 4    here we see a model of WAL 605 Overfalls, Blunts Reef and Relief. Notice the Low bow no bulkworks etc. This model someone made in California and has it online for sale.  They show a few things that help below the waterline.   They show their interpretation for the appendage clearly and I think even painted it differently from the hull. Now that I have two sets of plans, they both show it.   I was wondering if it’s active or just a passive element. Fortunately I have found a photo just yesterday of it I will share later.

 

• 5    here we see a broadside of WAL 604 Columbia ,built side by side and launched only weeks earlier than Overfalls.  There are no bullworks other than the high breakwater crossing the deck just forward of the mast.    The deck also seems much flatter. This very high-resolution photo from Library of Congress is great for my looking at the deck furnishing.

 

• 6    here is a view from the stern quarter and we see the slight rise at the stern and relatively straight sides.  There is a slight bulge.  the "belt strake" or whatever it is called is quite clear here. 

 

• 7   here we see bow details this view is important to understand the mooring bow hawse pipe arrangement as well as the straighter sides. A small point but a Navy anchor is fitted to starboard on the Overfalls and apparently not on Nantucket. 

Looking at the two issues above, I have concluded getting the broadside profile right is very important and removing some of the roundness should be enough to get me into the area that replicates the hull. 

 

• 8     
•     Finally here is a photo I love. It shows Overfalls after her California assignments Blunt Reef and Relief and ready for restoration.

Progress

I have taken the next steps and adjusted and sanded the hull.  [ not the bottom yet] I have kept the hull glued to the board so I can keep measuring up for the shear line and eventually the water line.   I added the Belt strake [ or whatever it’s called], figured out the waterline, shaped the deck and added the break water, splash plate, again or whatever it is called, that is unique to this design.   I also made roughed out the two deck houses.  

From here on most of what I do will be based on the photos of the two restored vessels in Oakland and Astoria museums. 

• 9-11 Here are three shots catching up with the build.   
• 
• 
• 

[Jond]

3 plan out the preliminary deck work.

This phase of the work will combine the deck plan and photos to figure out what to build. The following photos illustrate this process. The first sub project will be the stack [ funnel]. so let's look at some photos to figure out what we want to build.

• 1   here is one of many typical photos to pick out details like bitts and chocks and rails and things to compare with the plan.  From a far, all we see is a painted teardrop funnel...should be easy.....I don't think so... The stack is a project under itself.  I suppose I could simply make a block and paint it, but trying to replicate it will be a challenge and learning process for me. 
• 2    The Blow up comes from the high definition photo at library of congress.  One can see through the slots a rusty stack inside.   
• 3    this general deck view came from the WAL 604 Columbia refurbishment web site.  It shows lots of information including the stack
• 4   this blow up of the former photo shows the clear challenge.  How does one make all those slots?  Then what does it look like from the top, since there is obviously daylight coming through the slots?
• 5.   After several emails within our Downeast  Shipmodelers Guild , look at this gem of a photo I received last week.  Thank you, Jerome!    Just like I thought, the forward half is full of other stuff, a ladder, a platform, goosenecks, even radar etc.   The back half is a big funnel with a centered stack.   This is my first model without sails, so I have a lot to learn. My Schooner experience is limited to a Charlie Noble [stack] or the Donkey engine exhaust pipes.

The next sub project will be the two masts.  One simple thing is there is no rake to worry about, they are to be plumb.

• 6   here I made a level base and set the hull in the mill to get plumb mast holes.
• 7   here we have the deck plan cut out and set in place and the two masts inserted.
• 8   here I tried to inventory the kit parts to see what I might be able to use and what I need t add. 
• 9   In this view we find the bow of the hull is too full in the cheeks.   The pencil marks on deck shows the part that needs to come off.

The next two photo came from google maps ;   not much detail but fun.  I found it interesting that the overhead scale for Astoria, Oregon is limited by about half from that of Oakland, CA..   That is why I chose the ground view for Oregon. 

• 10, 
• 

All for now
 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Jond

[Jond]

4 figure out the bottom

 

I found some great sources through my online research with the photo history of the refurbishing of WAL 604 Columbia.  Thanks to them I was able to review a few of these shots before cleaning u the hull.  I am not perfect but tried to respect what I found.

I am also doing a deep dive study of the Rice Brothers yard and have nearly 68 out of more than 400 images relating to the 4 Light ships.  I will put together some postings of these as they are fun and original documents. WAL 604 and 605 were virtually identical and built together, so I have used images interchangeably.

 

For hull completion, I share the following. The first five from the Columbia restoration website

 

• 1.    overhead shot of Columbia in the floating drydock.

 

• 2.    the bow sections giving good sense where to place the anchor hawes pipe.

 

• 3.     in this view I was able to see that the stabilizer on the ides are indeed plated that project out and down a but.  They seem to be about 2 feet. Also, there is no doubt about the bottom color.    You will see my doubt as to 1951 bottom painting below.

 

• 4.    This view shows the shape of the stern coming to a point down to the extension with the prop. It is quite thin. I chose the make it as thin as the prop hub, so it could remain part of the solid hull.   If building this hull with bulkheads of frames and running the keels etc. it would be easier to honor this thin shape with eh shaft pipe visible. also note the square rudder.   an oops is coming below.

 

• 5.    In this view, we see prefect scale figures.  We also see [confirmed in another shot I will include later] that the  the mushroom anchor in place and painted like the hull, I plan the same.

Next, we have some photos I recently scanned for the Boothbay Region Historical Society. I include thumbnails here but enjoy the high resolution in our study.

 

• 6.     Here is Columbia just after her launch in 1950 not the interesting Black stripe. blowing up the image in sees it is 3 feet top to bottom.   Also, the “belt strake” or perhaps the ‘wale’ is clearly placed. It looks to be 18 inches which is what a did.

 

• 7.    Here is Overfalls after her launch just weeks behind Columbia.

 

Progress. The hull is sort of done.   Someone showed me how to play with my photos so I tried this technique. great for once and awhile;  I won’t do it a lot, but occasionally it is fun.

• 8.    Looking aft: I have thinned up the cheeks to meet the plan for the smaller vessel.

 

• 9.   Looking forward:  I hope the stern respects the intent of the sharp lines I am also using the kit Nantucket rudder which is a little bit tall and not square shaped. I figure saying that gets me through any test.      

Up next, I am working on the masts and rigging.
 

[Jond]

Post 5 Rough work to get through planning and into production for masts, rigging and the stack[ funnel].

 

Unlike many of the modelers on this forum I am a neophyte in most of our tasks.  Soldering is one of them.    I will share my struggle and persevere as to do the metal work at the top of the steel mast for me is a chore. Making the mast from a dowel allows drilling a few holes and things, but platforms?   Also, the yards are clearly hollow pipes in the photos.  There are many photographs to follow, so here we go… I hope I can pull it off.

 
Mast lights and platform

• 1    here is a photo of the top of the foremast from Columbia.

 

• 2   here is a photo of the top of the main mast also from Columbia.

 

• 3   here is the first attempt to take the components from the Nantucket kit and apply them.  Our mast is I take from drawings is 1/8” vs Nantucket 3/16”.  A hidden washer is glued to the dowel to hold up the brass platform….I hope.  I soldered the handrails and added the radio mast in copper. I find using Tix solder and normal paste flux works for me though it’s a bit crude.  The lights are wood , shaped on a lathe, and I used the mill to drill a 1/8” hole so it can rest on the top of the mast.  I hope paint does the trick.   I am not ready to attach all the rails at this point.   I may want to a paint first and I may change the mast to copper tube.   I am still thinking about itat this point.  

 

• 4.   vhere is a rough foremast frame loosely resting on the top of the mast.   I need to add a plate for the little triangle holding the aircraft warning light and some form of decking for the upper platform.  It is a short mast too for the radio aerial.  

Rigging 

• 5   here in a photo of Columbia we see the size for turnbuckles.  They are roughly 4 feet and open.  The connection to the deck is a compilation of plates and shackles. 2 of them are smaller on top of the aft deck house. For now, I will attach to eye.  I will try to cover that with a tiny plate later.

 

• 6   here are the standard cross connection for short sections of shroud. I have laid out in an attempt to replicate their locations.

 

• 7   here I plumbed up the main mast and its platform and soldered it in place.  I tried that combo solder paste but got nowhere.  Doing the rigging is fun. I am using 2.5mm bullseyes, grey thread to replicate the steel cable in the photos and white tread to replicate the white tape in the photos.  

Stack

Based on advice from a friendly guild member, I ordered a bunch of styrene including sheets.

 

• 8.   I cut a styrene strip, and after soaking it in boiling water I clamped it around a plug.

 

• 9   after a short while I took it and welded it to itself as I rewrapped it around the plug for two layers.  I then trimmed it back to size and laid out the slots.  Then using a drill, knives and mini files eventually got 10 slots in. 

 

• 10   In this progress view, you can see the first styrene stack on the table.  It was too big, so the second one is now sitting in place partially painted.  

 

• 11   I was unsatisfied with the wood dowel masts and decided that to replicate steel masts I should use copper.  Here is the fore mast rebuilt.

 

• 12   here we have the new main mast.  

The paint for masts and deck furniture just came in from Bluejacket, so that work comes next.  

All for now
 

[schooner]

This is an impressive project - more a scratch build than a kit one. 

Your Charles Notam is one of the most amazing builds I've seen on this site - which has plenty of models that just leave me speechless.

[Jond]

Tim

 

Thank you for your kind words.  I agree there is a thin line when a build becomes scratch.   The Bluejacket folks are not only local to us here in Maine, they are very helpful too. I use their fittings and things on most of my builds.   I believe building from a kit for the first of an entirely new venture is a good idea, and they have nice kits. 

 

I loved building Charles Notman. 

 

cheers 

[Jond]

6 mast tops and rigging

 

I now have things in place or at least figured out...maybe.

 

First up is a humorous finding.  The tops of the masts apparently kept changing in real life. The tops of Columbia’s masts today are the opposite of the tops of the Overalls’ masts. The 1950 plan shows a single platform on the fore mast and double platform on the main mast.  I have been focusing on Columbia because of the quality of the photo.  It is the opposite of what I am supposed to be doing. I got myself totally confused…..Let’s see below.

• 1   here is Columbia today with a double deck platform on the foremast.  Several photos I have already posted show this arrangement.  So I changed things from the plan to this way….oops

 

• 2   here is Overfalls before she became Relief. Her mast tops agree with the plans, the double deck is the main mast.    I have been going nuts working from the plan then seeing the opposite. I have switched them. More than once.  Last week I unsoldered and resoldered the single deck as I was convinced it was done wrong....oops.  Also, I found the mast ladder to be on Port side not starboard.    Oh Well I am going with the plan and Overfalls picture. That means rework again, but since I figured out my problem hopefully only one more time.   

Rigging 

 

I got the rigging done….I thought anyway.  The good news it was sort of right.  The bad news is I think it is out of scale a bit.   I used the 2.5 MM bullseyes, the smallest I could buy. I could obviously have deleted them but thought I wanted to show all the little section of shroud / stays. I note after checking other lightship models ignore this element and that is why this one seems so odd.  The cables are all spliced and wrapped with white tape…I thought I wanted to show that too so spliced the connections using white thread.     Maybe it would look better when the rails are in place and other components fill in some of the deck. I will need to decide however before moving ahead to rig both the yard arms and radio wires if I need to go smaller.  

• 3.   When I studied this detail photo, I felt the shroud was clearly 1 inch or more thick and the bullseye fitting nearly the size of a person’s head.   I thought it would be ok.  2.5 mm translates to 1/10th inch or about 9 inches.   

 

• 4   here on the main mast we are all in.  The overall look in this photo though has me worried…. It just isn’t right. It is too busy. 

 

• 5   here after setting one more of the bigger shrouds, I ran the other foremast shrouds and head stay in thinner thread and black beads. No splicing.    I think it looks better….Not sure yet what to do.

 

• 6   here we see both masts.    I think the bigger spliced lines and bullseyes must come off. Also in this view, the boat davits are not perfect, but I plan to move with the kit pieces and a few adjustments.  Adding the spreader pipe and rings helps.  

 

• 7   This blow-up of Columbia gives us the details for the foredeck.  The windless is huge drum like piece. It has the anchor chain wrapped below.  There is another davit to add with hatches etc.  I also note the large chocks. 

 

• 8   here we see the anchor chains and windless roughed in.  I decided to turn some wood and paint it and move forward. I envy the metal work artisans who would have turned these pieces in brass. I did solder up the break handles in brass.  

All for now
 

[Jond]

7 update on rigging and deck fittings

 

It’s been a while since much progress as we took a vacation.  On the way home we dropped in to see Nic at Bluejacket, always a fun detour.   He shared with me a few hints and then explained their new case kit systems.  It looks great and I will be ordering one as part of this build.

 

I have gone ahead and replaced all the rigging with smaller lines and glass beads.  The little black shine comes off of the beads, and a dab of white paint on the thread sort of says ‘SPLICE”.    The beads are as small as I have seen. 

 

• 1     here we see from a few days back as I got the las lines redone.  I am sure there is a good reason they broke up the stays and shrouds into so many pieces. As they were splices, I do not see any advantage. 

Work on deck…I am working back and forth inventing things to match the photos.  As always there are never enough views to explain everything. Let’s see what we have so far.

 

• 2    I start with a mystery and joke on me.  Looking closely on this blow up, I was trying to figure where they tied off the lines from the foremast yard.   Looking past the mast I saw a type of pin rail.  It is painted the same brown tan color as other things, so I remain confused on where or what it might be. It must be attached to the mast. Is it just the rail itself welded?     

 

• 3    I went ahead and made a pin rails stand so if placed it would be strong enough to take the lines.    It seems much too big.   Naturally there are no more photos I have seen of this area......   As to the lines, it looks like one on the starboard [ far side] is doubled to a ring giving 4 to one for heavier loads.   The mystery on the foremast rigging continues. The solution is  probably just to make a smaller and tighter rail with no outside stand/ leg and only be against the mast. too late to solder !  

 

• 4    I am not positive but suspect these are the fog horns.  The fan on the bottom blowing into the large chamber and open top.  Well let’s assume it is and then figure how to make it.  

 

• 5.   here is my approach.  Four concentric tubes over a bent rod.  Then two copper washers drilled, and copper wire soldered.  I will fill with glazing putty and see what comes.

 

• 6   here is a trial fit.  Lots of little supports to make too.

 

• 7.    I have found 6 closed chocks in my stash of unused parts from who knows where.  I need 8. When I stopped at Bluejacket they said they had no idea where I got them. They make some, but not in that size.  Well, I bent a brass rod into a u and passed it through a small plate and soldered.   The shape is too round but close enough for the last two that I need.

General progress...Here are a few views of today’s status.

 

• 8   The fore deck is getting close. I need braces on the water wall touch up paint and final step of rails. There are radio aerials and things to go and then the antenna wiring.

 

• 9   mid and after deck is coming.  Boats are in, and the raft setting partially painted.   Lots more stuff to go in and then the rails. If you look closely there is a tie off rail forward of the main mast that receives all the lines from the main yard.  Again, there are conduits to run up both masts and the lights and gear to figure out. The crew arrived this week too.

 

 

onward we go 

 

 

[Jond]

post 8     sort of done with model phase

This posting is a transition on this build.  My project typically includes lots of research and a resulting power point presentation or Museum slide show for our local Historic Society.  As I have said before, to me it is the story, of which the model is only part .  This story is of the Lightships, and full chapter of the Rice Brothers of East Boothbay.  I shared some stuff in the beginning. As we are in the process of scanning / digitizing the collection we have many rabbit holes to follow.  Rice brothers will consume me for years if I am not careful. there are lots of visuals we have to include as I go on.

 

Today I share a few images of my struggles and a catchup overview.  We then have the inevitable punch list before closing in perhaps one more posting

 

Struggles

 I worked on radio antenna cables that seem to be way over my pay grade, and one completed one more soldering job to make my interpretation of the foremast pin rail.

• 1   here is the layout from the 1950 coast guard plans of the aerial.  The Nantucket kit came with shiny silver like thread.  Boy is it finicky.  

  

• 2   here is my first of three set up jigs to try to make the assembly.   This one failed miserably.   I didn’t photo the others.  What I finished with was suspending a metal ruler and using hair pins to hold things just off the metal so the glue hopefully would not make a mess.   What is eventually on the model looks fine from 25 feet away. [ that suggests the next room] Up close it is twisted, and I cannot imagine how to make it straight with thread.    If I were able to do resistance soldering of fine copper or other wire that might work. I played with the fine brass railing from the kit material but did not come to any conclusion as how to attach two pieces finely that are then in tension and suspended.   

 

• 3    here is soldering at a level I can do.  It is my interpretation of the pin rail on the foremast.  I showed the picture …post 7-2 that shows it on the far side of the mast. It is invisible but clearly projecting from the mast.  I chose piping to match what can be seen on the main mast.

Progress 

 

Open items include the foremast pin rail and lines to be rigged and possibly a case.  I am debating flags too.  There is a lot of touch up painting to do as well.  That never seems to end for me. 

Here are 7 view of different angles.

Next steps

 

This build will rest for a while as I do the side-by-side story.   There are hundreds of designs built by Rice brothers 1892 to 1955.   I will do a final posting when the punch list is done and if I get a case. I tried to order it but am waiting. then of course the punch list.  

 

As I tell their story there are a few more potential builds making a combined showing.  Some options include:

 

1.    Break Rock one of two identical John Alden Schooners launched in 1925.  Renamed Bagheera and now 99-year-old Schooner sailing daily in Portland Me.  
2.   Harvard  Built 1922-1926. Due to financial issues.  It was a steel dragger, one of three.  In WWII she was taken by the Navy increase in length and renamed Bellefonte.  After the war she was one of the Albatross NOAA vessels.  
3.    Some other draggers.  The problem is finding plans.... more later as I chase Harvard.
4.    1924/5 10 each coast guard Rum chasers. Look like fun but again, how to find plans?
5.    WWII  they built subchasers and mine sweeps. So many already exist I will likely pass.

I believe my next build will be Bagheera if can get the plans.  I have many on deck photos for the needed details.

 

All for now 
 

[Lightship Alley]

Great job.   The hull is one of six lightships built for the USCG from 1946-1952.  The 189, 196, 604, 605, 612 and 613. basically Sister ships. Each had different propulsion. The 613 differed due to it tripod style mast similar to lightships of the U.K.

  During research I believe on the LS 189 had a Fog Bell on deck where as the other five did not. 
LS 189 DIAMOND . LS 196 UMATILLA,  WLV 612 on left,WLV 613 on right. WLV 612 , NANTUCKET , WLV 612 SAN FRANCISCO, WLV 612 PORTLAND,  WLV 613 NANTUCKET

[Jond]

Thank you for sharing your own research and dropping by.   It is interesting in just looking through the images you added  the variations in the masts and lighting.  There is obviously a whole story out there on the evolution of the technology on the systems.  I'll leave that for others as for me it's great just to celebrate that three of them were built here and remain on display 70 plus years later.  Of course it is the TLC of many out there that make that happen.   I plan to visit one of them this November as I have never done so before.

 

cheers